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THE FLUTTER 
OF THE GOLDLEAF 

AND OTHER PLAYS 



THE FLUTTER 
OF THE GOLDLEAF 

AND OTHER PLAYS 



BY 
OLIVE TILFORD DARGAN 

AND 

FREDERICK PETERSON 



NEW YORK 
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 

1922 






Copyright, 1922, by 
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 



PRINTED AT .' 

THE SCRIBNER PRESS '1, 

NEW YORK, U. S. A. ( 

i 



CONTENTS 



PAGE 



The Flutter of the Goldleaf .... i 

BY OLIVE TILFORD DARGAN AND FREDERICK 
PETERSON 



The Journey 49 

BY olive TILFORD DARGAN 

Everychild 75 

by frederick peterson and olive tilford 

DARGAN 

Two Doctors at Akragas 103 

BY FREDERICK PETERSON 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 
A PLAY IN ONE ACT 

BY 

Olive Tilford Dargan 

AND 

Frederick Peterson 



CHARACTERS 

Philo Warner, a student 

Hiram Warner, his father^ the milage grocer 

Mary Ann Warner, his mother 

Dr. Bellows, the village physician 

Dr. Seymour, a city specialist 

Reba Sloan, a neighbor s daughter 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Scene: Laboratory in the attic of the Warner cot- 
tage. At righty toward rear^ entrance from 
down-stairs. A rude partition^ left^ with door 
in centre. Window centre rear. Large kitchen 
table loaded with apparatus. Shelves^ simi- 
larly loaded) against wall near table^ right. 
Wires strung about. A rude couch, bench, and 
several wooden chairs. 

Time, about 8 p. m. Lamp burns on table. 
Mrs. Warner comes upstairs, puts her head 
inside the room nervously, then enters and looks 
about. 

Mrs. W. 
Such a mess ! And the doctors will be here in 
half an hour ! {Tries to get busy but seems bothered. 
Crosses to table and looks at a little machine that 
stands upon it.) That's what's driving my boy 
crazy ! If I only dared to smash it ! The right 
sort of a mother would do just that ! {Looks at 
machine with dire meditation.) 

Warner {without, roaring up the stairs) 
Mary Ann ! 

[3] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Mrs. JV. {jumps) 

Yes, Hiram ! 

Warner {entering) 

Where's Philo ? 

Mrs. W. 

In the orchard. I watched my chance, and 

thought I'd redd up a little. He won't let me 

touch anything when he's here. 

Warner 
Just about lives up here, don't he ? 

Mrs. W. 
Day and night now, since he's been too sick to 
go to the store. And I can't have Dr. Bellows 
bring in that specialist from New York with things 
lookin' as if a woman had never come up the 
stairs. {Dusting and rattling.) 
Warner 
Philo's not onto what the doctors are after, is 

he? 

Mrs. W. 

He thinks they're coming to look at his machine 
mostly — and see what's keepin' him awake nights. 
But maybe he knows. He's awful sharp. 
Warner 
Sharp ? Wish he knew enough to sell eggs and 
bacon. He's ruinin' my business. Weighs a 
[4] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

pound of coffee as if he was asleep. I can see 
customers watchin' him out o' the tail o* their 
eye. They're gettin' afraid of him ! Mary Ann, 
the boy's going to be a shame to us. He's crazy ! 

Mrs. W. 
Don't you call my boy crazy. I won't hear it, 
Hiram. 

Warner 
No, you'll wait till the whole village tells you ! 
They're all talkin' now ! 

Mrs. W. 
It's none o' their business ! 

Warner 

It'll be their business if he flies up and hurts 

somebody. 

Mrs. W. 

Philo wouldn't hurt anything alive. He got 

mad at me once for killin' a spider. 

Warner {scornfully) 
Showed his sense there, didn't he ? 

Mrs. W. 

If Philo's queer it's not from my side of the 

house. You know what your mother was like — 

wanderin' round nights starin' at the stars with 

that old spy-glass Captain Barker gave her. 

[5] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Warner 
She was a good mother, all the same. 

Mrs. W. 
Couldn't cook at all. Your father only kept 
alive by eating at the neighbors occasionally — and 
as for sewing and mending, you children went in 
rags till your Aunt Sary came to live with you. 
Warner 
Mother thought a heap of us, though. I re- 
member how she cried because I wouldn't go to 
school and went into the grocery business. And 
she cried a lot more when I married you. I could- 
n't understand her — then. 

Mrs. W. 
Humph! She'd been shut up fast enough if 
your father hadn't been the softest-hearted man 
ahve. 

Warner 

Maybe the boy does take after her, but he's 
worse'n she ever was. 

Mrs. W. 
She didn't have any books — or college educa- 
tion — to turn her head. 

Warner 
Nothing to read but the Weekly Mirror. It was 
a good paper, though, all about crops and stock, 
£6} 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

and what the country people were doing, and a 

love story on the inside page. Father subscribed 

on her account. She told him her mind had to 

have something to work on. But she didn't take 

to the paper, and he had to read it himself to get 

his money's worth. 

Mrs. W. 

A good thing she didn't have a library to get at 
like Philo. All those books he brought home 
didn't do him any good. He began to get queer 
about the time he was reading that set of Sir 
Humphry Davy's Complete Works, with so much 
about electrics and the stars, and that sort of 
stuff. If we could only get him to quit this 

studyin' and stay out-o'-doors 

Warner 

S'pose we clear out this hole — burn the books, 
and get rid of all these confounded wires and jars 
and fixings. I don't believe he saves a penny of 
the wages I give him for helpin' to ruin me. All 
he makes goes for this truck. We'll clear it out. 
Mrs. W. 

I've thought of that, but we oughtn't to go too 

far. They're his anyhow, and I'm afraid 

Warner 

Well, I'm not afraid ! And I'll begin with this 
[7} 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

devil ! {Pauses over machine. Starts suddenly.) 
What's that ? He's coming ! 

Mrs. W. {listening 
It's only Alice going to her room. 

Warner 
Perhaps we'd better see what the specialist says 
first. 

Mrs. W. 

I know Dr. Bellows wants us to send Philo 
away. But I'm against that, first and last. 

Warner 
You wouldn't be if you'd listen to Bellows 
awhile. You know what he told me when I met 
him this morning ? " Why, Warner," he says, " I 
never go to see the boy without taking a pair of 
handcuffs in my pocket. It's the quiet ones that 
go the wildest when they do break out." 

Mrs. W. 
Oh, Hiram, it's not going to be so bad as that. 
Don't let him set you against your own flesh and 
blood. Just let me manage awhile. He needs to 
get stirred up about something — get his mind ofl^ 
this. I wish I hadn't stopped those letters he was 
getting from Reba Sloan when she went off to 
school two years ago. 

[8] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Warner 

But you said you'd rather see him dead than 

married to Sloan's girl. 

Mrs. W. 

I meant it, too ! But seeing your child dead is 

not so bad as seeing him crazy — and if Reba can 

save him 

Warner 

How in thunder 

Mrs. W. 

She's a taking girl, Hiram — since she got back. 
If Philo gets his mind fixed on her, she'll soon have 
him forgettin' this. Why, you remember for 
three months before we were married you couldn't 
think o' nothing but me. 

Warner 
Good Lord ! Is that so, Mary Ann ? 

Mrs. W. 
I had to hurry up the weddin' to save your 
business. You were letting Jabe McKenny take 
all your trade right under your nose. 

Warner 
Sakes 'a' mighty! If I could come out of a 
spell like that, there's some hope for our poor 
chap. 

[9] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Mrs. W. 
That's what I'm telling you ! 

Warner 
But Reba's father — you going to have old fid- 
dler Sloan in the family ? 

Mrs. W. 
He's come into some money now, and any gen- 
tleman can take an interest in music. 
Warner 
And the mother was that foreign woman. 

Mrs. W. 
But she's dead. It's just as well Philo won't 
have a mother-in-law. 

Warner 
Reba'U have one, all right. If Philo stays queer 
it'll be hard on the girl, won't it ? 
Mrs. W. 
He'll not stay queer. If he gets that girl in 
his head there won't be room for anything else — 
for a while anyway. He'll be worse'n you ever 
was. You let me manage it, Hiram. 

(Philo is heard coming up the stairs. They 
listen in silence until he enters. He is talk- 
ing, not quite audibly , to himself , and doesnt 
see them. Goes to table and stands by ma- 
chine.) 

[10} 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Philo 
Here — at last — I have caught the word . . . . 



the word of the stars. 

Mrs. W. 
Philo ! 

Philo {looking up) 
Mother ! . . . Father ! . . . {In alarm.) You 
haven't touched anything here ? 
Mrs. W. 
No, my son. I've just put the place to rights 
a bit. Dr. Seymour is coming, you know. 
Philo 
Yes. {Walks the floor, meditating.) 

Warner 
You must come out of this dream, Philo. 

Philo 
It is not a dream ! I am the only being in the 
world who is awake ! 

Mrs. W. 
My son ! 

Philo 
Man sleeps — like the rocks, trees, hills — while 
all around him, out of the unseen, beating on blind 
eyes, deaf ears, numbed brain, sweep the winds of 
eternity, the ether waves, the signals from the 
deeps of space ! 

[11] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Warner 

Hey, diddle, diddle ! 

Philo 

Sleep-walkers all — the people in the streets, 

the shops — the mad people with their heaps of 

gold ! 

Mrs. W. 

Now don't work yourself up, Philo, with the 

doctor coming. You want to tell him about your 

machine. 

Philo 

Yes. He is a great man. He has studied these 
things. I will talk to him. He will not laugh. 
Warner 
Mary Ann, don't you think we'd better bring 
up some cider ? It'll look more hospitable like. 
Mrs. W. 
That city doctor won't care anything about 

cider. 

Warner 

My cider's good enough for anybody! And 
Dr. Bellows'll be sure to ask for it. 
Mrs. W. 
Well, wait till he does. {Looks uneasily about 
room.) Don't you think, son, that if you're 
going to take to having visitors here I'd better 
[12] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

move some furniture up ? You could have the 
haircloth sofa — the springs are broke anyway — 
and Alice says she don't want the wax flowers in 
the parlor any more. They're turnin' yellow, 
but you wouldn't notice it up here. 
Philo {clinching his hands) 
Do what you like, mother, only don't take 
anything out. If anything happened to my work 
I believe I'd go crazy ! 

{The parents look at each other.) 
Warner 
Thought your work was tendin' the store. 

Philo 
Brother Will is more help there than I am, 
father. 

Warner 
You're right about that. Will's got a head on. 

Mrs. W. 
You'd better go down, Hiram, and meet the 
doctors. 

Warner 
Alice'U show them up. 

Mrs. W. 
Where's that strange smell comin' from ? Do 
you work in the other room, too, Philo? {Goes 
in, left.) 

[13] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Philo 
Father . . . Fm sorry about the store . . . 
I wish I could tell you . . . but what's the use ? 
You won't believe ! 

{Re-enter Mrs. W.) 

Mrs. W. 
Gracious ! I couldn't breathe in there ! Got 
to clear something out before Reba comes up here. 
She'd have no respect for my housekeeping. 

Philo 
Reba? 

Mrs. W. 

Reba Sloan. She's been asking if she couldn't 
come. She's just wild to see your machine. 
Philo 
Don't you ever let her up here, mother ! 

Mrs. W. 
But she asked me, Philo — and a neighbor's 

daughter, you know 

Philo 
I thought she was away from home. 

Mrs. W. 
Been back a month — walks all about right under 
your eyes. You ought to be civile Philo. 
Philo 
I want to see Dr. Seymour. I should like to 
[14] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

have him know what I'm doing. But if you're 
going to turn the whole village in here, I'll bar 
the door, that's all. 

Mrs. W. 
My son, if you'd only interest yourself a 

little 

Philo 

I'm not interested in anything nearer than 
thirty-five million miles ! 

Warner 
What did I tell you, Mary Ann ? 

Mrs. W. 
I hear the doctors ! Now, Philo, if you can't 
talk sense, don't say anything. 

{Enter Seymour and Bellows.) 

Bellows 
Good evening, Warner. How d' do, Mrs. 
Warner ! My friend. Dr. Seymour. 

Warner and Mrs. W. 
How do you do, sir ! 

Bellows 
Philo, I've brought Dr. Seymour around to have 
a talk with you. He's down from New York for 
a day or two. Been sleeping any better ? 
[15] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Philo 
Too much. I need all my time. I'm very- 
glad to see you, Dr. Seymour. 
{All take seats.) 

Mrs. W. 
I hope you'll excuse the looks of the room, 
doctor. 

Seymour 

It looks very interesting indeed to me, Mrs. 

Warner. The workshop of a student, and a busy 

one. {To Philo.) You've been working too hard, 

I see. 

Philo 

I'm tired, perhaps, but I am well. When a 
man makes a momentous discovery he is apt to 
be overwrought. He may not eat or sleep well 
for a time. He may even appear to be strange 
or mad. 

(Mrs. W. coughs suddenly^ 

Mrs. W. 

I'm afraid that's not a comfortable chair. 

Dr. Seymour. 

Seymour 

Quite comfortable, Mrs. Warner. 

Mrs. W. {rapidly) 
Philo is my oldest boy, and I never could keep 
[16] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

him away from books. Will, my second son, is 
as steady in the store as his father himself, and 
Johnny is just fine on the wagon. As for Alice, 
there's not a neater all-round girl to be found 
anywhere. They're healthy, sensible children, 
every one of 'em, and don't care what's inside any 
book in the world — but Philo was just bent on 

going to college 

Seymour 
A very natural bent for an ambitious boy. 

Bellows 
Tell us about the discovery, Philo, my lad. 
Philo {rising and walking slowly up and 
down the room) 
I think I will. It will be another experiment. 
I know what the effect will be on Dr. Bellows. 
He is an old friend of mine — but you, sir, are a 
stranger. I should like to try your mind and see 
if you are awake or asleep. 

(Bellows winks toward Seymour, who takes 
no notice^ but gives Philo careful attention.) 
Seymour 
I hope I shall not disappoint you. 

Philo 
I believe we have some points of view in com- 
mon, for your profession needs to take note of 
[17] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

many problems connected with both evolution 
and electricity. I have been a reader of general 
science for many years. The fact that on the 
earth we have had a slow evolution from a monad 
to a man contains a promise of further develop- 
ment of man into — let us say an angel. 
Bellows 
Not very soon, I guess. 

Philo {sharply) 
Hardly in your day, doctor. You needn't 
worry about the fashion in wing-feathers. 
Seymour 
Go on, Mr. Warner. 

Philo 
In others of the many milHons of globes about 
us in space, a similar evolution is going on, and 
in some the evolution is less advanced than in 
ours, in others incomparably more advanced. 
Seymour 
We may admit that. 

(Bellows looks to V^ ak^ek for sympathy , and 
shakes his head.) 

Philo 

We have reached a stage when we have begun 

to peer out into the stellar depths and question 

them. We are beginning to master the light and 

[18] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

the lightning, to measure the vastness of space, 
to weigh the suns, to determine the elements 
that comprise them, to talk and send messages 
thousands of miles without wires. Each year 
uncovers new wonders, infinitely minute, infi- 
nitely great. 

Seymour 
True, — all true. 

Philo {becoming more repressed and tensely 

excited as he goes on) 

The dreams of the alchemists are being realized. 

That machine yonder detects the waves from a 

millionth of a millionth of a milligramme «of 

radium. 

Seymour 
What! 

Philo 

I have invented a tuned electroscope that would 
be destroyed by such waves, so sensitive as to 
react only to waves from an inconceivable dis- 
tance, beyond thirty-five million miles. 

Seymour {trying to take it in) 
Thirty-five million miles ! 

Philo {with great tension) 
Three weeks ago I made this instrument, and 
ever since then, at regular intervals, there have 
[19] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

been rhythmic flutterings of the goldleaf, regular 
repetitions, as if it were knocking at the door of 
earth from the eternal silences. I have watched 
it — the same measured fluttering — two beats — 
then three — then two — then four and a pause ! 
It is a studied measure ! It has meaning ! When 
I first noticed it — the faint flutter of the goldleaf 
— and knew that any waves from a nearer point 
than thirty-five million miles would utterly de- 
stroy so delicate an instrument — my hair stood 
on end. I have watched it three weeks — alone — 
and you ask me why I do not sleep ! . . . Look ! 
{The doctors spring up electrified, and stare at 
the instrument.) 

Philo 
There it is again ! Two beats — then three — 
then two — then four — now it is over ! 

(Seymour continues to stare at the instrument. 
Bellows subsides into a chair, looking fool- 
ish.) 

Seymour {to himself) 
Impossible! . . . {To Philo.) What was it 
you were saying ? What did you see ? 

Philo 
I saw what you saw — signals from a distance 
[20] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

farther than the distance of the nearest planet to 

our earth. / z. 7. x 

beymour {shaken) 

But I saw nothing. At least a slight movement 
in anything so sensitive might be due to many 

causes 

Philo 
Yes ! It is always the old story. Truths must 
be hammered into humanity! Branded in with 
flame, or driven in with sword and bullet ! 
Bellows {starting up alarmed) 
Hadn't we better be going, doctor ? 

Philo 
Oh, no ! Wait till you've talked me over. De- 
cide whether I'm mad or not ! If I'm a menace 
to the community ! If I must be locked up ! 
My father and mother are waiting to know. 
Don't go ! Finish your work ! {Rushes into room, 
left.) 

Belloms {triumphantly to Seymour) 

Well ? 

(Seymour hesitates, looks at the father and 
mother, then at Bellows, and takes out his 
match-case^ 
Bellows {making a conquest of the obvious) 
Warner, a little of that fine cider of yours would 
just finish off our chat. 

[21] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Warner 
Nothing better! {Starting outy whispers to 
Mrs. W.) Where's grandma's silver pitcher ? 

Mrs. W. 
I'll get that. 

{They go down-stairs^ 

Bellows {laughing 
She never lets him go to the cellar by himself. 

Seymour 
Not a drinker, is he ? 

Bellows 
Oh, no ! The pattern of a deacon. But she 
keeps her hand on. 

(Seymour lights a cigar thinkingly.) 

Bellows 
No use to go over this case. It's clear enough. 
We'll have our cider — it's worth waiting for — 
then go to my office and fix up the commitment 
papers. 

Seymour {rubbing his hand slowly over his 
forehead) 
To talk with such a patient sometimes bewilders 
the brain. He seemed so clear in his utterance — 

so rational 

£22} 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Bellows 

Funny, wasn't he ? I almost believed it myself 

for a minute. 

Seymour 

It might be true. 

Bellows 
Hey? 

Seymour 

Perhaps we are all somnambulists moving about 
in this dream-world we call practical life. Behind 
this tough matter that takes so many shapes and 
colors, what strange secrets are hidden, just be- 
ginning to reach our dull senses — X-rays, radium 
emanations, wireless waves. 

Bellows 
Oh, they're natural enough now. Common 
sense has adopted them. 

Seymour 
Yes, we are easily satisfied. Give a mystery a 
name and that's enough for the most of us. But 
here and there are minds that must explore further; 
and if they discover something beyond the com- 
prehension of us who stay behind, we call them 

mad. 

Bellows 

Well, none of your mind-puzzles for me. Give 
[23] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

me something clear cut, like typhoid, or measles, 
an amputation, or new babies, something I can 
fix my eyes on. You can take care of the mad- 
men — except when they're in my own village. 
I'm not going to have a boy like Philo gibbering 
around ready to break out wild any time. 
Seymour 
It's true he may be led into frenzy, or even self- 
destruction, but it will be from overwork and lone- 
liness. I must have a talk with the parents — — 
Bellows 
What do you expect them to do ? They're 
asking us for help. And Fm willing to give it to 
them. 

{Re-enter Warner and Mrs. W. He carries 
pitcher, she carries tray with glasses.) 
Seymour {to Bellows) 
We'll see. As I say, the boy has been losing 
sleep, and giving his mind no rest. 

Mrs. W. {holding tray while Warner 
pours cider) 
Just what I say, doctor. He's studied himself 
sick. 

Seymour 
You must get him out of here, Mrs. Warner. 
{Sipping cider ^ Excellent, indeed ! 
[24] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Mrs, W. 
I'm doing my best. 
Warner {to Bellows, who has drained his 
glass) 
You're at home, doctor. Just help yourself. 
{He does.) 

Seymour 
What is his age ? 

Mrs. W. 
Twenty. He went early to college. 

Seymour {musingly) 
The usual age. Twenty. {Sighs.) The age 
of visions and enchantments. "The thoughts of 
youth are long, long thoughts." 
Bellows 
What are you saying, doctor ? 

Seymour 
Just thinking. It's a healthy family, isn't it ? 

Mrs. W. 
I should say ! Why, Will and Johnny and 

AHce 

Bellows 

Best sort. The thoroughbreds of the town. 

Temperate, thriving, regular at church. Warner 

here was once county supervisor. {Clapping him 

on shoulder^ Never had a better one. 

[25] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Seymour {to Warner) 
And your parents ? 

Warner 
Father was a sound, practical man. Stood 
flat-footed, I may say. 

Seymour 
And your mother ? 

Mrs. W. 
Law me, Hiram Warner thinks there was never 
anybody in the world like his mother. And there 
never was ! 

Seymour 

That's good to build on. It is clear that your 
boy is ill, and the burden of his knowledge, whether 
truth or delusion, is far too great for him to bear. 
If you could interest him for even a brief time in 
ordinary life — {smiling) miracles that are too 
common to be disturbing — throw him with young 

people 

Bellows 

You don't mean you won't sign the commit- 
ment papers ! 

Seymour 

Just that. I shall not sign them. 

Mrs. W. {gratefully) 
Oh, doctor ! 

[26] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Bellows 
After what you saw here with your own eyes ? 
He's completely gone off! 

Seymour 
The boy may be right. Under this tiny con- 
sciousness of ours lie vast fields of subconscious 
intelligence as yet unexplored. Beyond our earth 
are still greater mysteries, unimaginable, unthink- 

Bellows {in disgust) 

And I counted on your common sense ! 

Seymour 

Common sense is itself too frail and uncertain 

a thing to be a criterion of sanity. The common 

sense of yesterday is to-day's folly, and our present 

common sense will be the madness of to-morrow. 

Bellows 

Well, I'll be — I'll wait for you down-stairs, 

doctor. {Exit.) 

Seymour 

The lad ought not to be in there alone. {Goes 

to door.) Philo, my boy ! 

(Philo comes out. He is extremely pale^ his 

black hair pushed from his forehead, and his 

eyes burning, but his manner is calm.) 

Philo 

Well, am I a free man ? 

[27} 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Seymour 
You are free, Philo. 

Philo {perfunctorily) 
Thank you, doctor. 

Seymour 
But you must have rest from this work. These 
subjects are too overwhelming for a sane brain to 
carry without harm. This attic is gloomy and 
the atmosphere unhealthy. You must have a 
complete change. 

Philo 
I see. That is your answer to my discovery. 
{Turns suddenly to Warner.) And what do you 
think of it, father .'* 

Warner 
I don't seem to get hold of it, somehow, Philo. 
{Crosses to machine and stares at it.) What's the 
good, anyhow ? They're too far away. 'Twould- 
n't help business. 

(Philo gives a queer laugh. Warner opens 
door.) 

Warner 
I'll see you down-stairs, doctor. {Exit.) 

Philo {turning to Mrs. W.) 
And you, mother I 

[28] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Mrs. W. {bustling up and gathering tray 
and glasses) 
I've got to set my bread. {Crosses to machine 
and stares at it, holding tray.) What'll we come 
to if folks in the stars begin pesterin' ? We've 
got enough to 'tend to right here. {Goes out mut- 
tering.) Got to set my bread. 

(Seymour and Philo look at each other and 
smile ^ 

Seymour 
Won't you come down, Philo ? 

Philo 
No. It's livelier for me up here. More to 
think about. But don't worry about me, doctor. 
I know this is the end. If I can't convince you, 
then all the world must think it hallucination. 
Seymour 
I'm not unconvinced. I simply don't know. 
And I'm deeply interested. But you can't stand 
it, Philo. Get out of this. Be young. This is 
for older heads. You'll have plenty of time. Get 
out — do anything. Fall in love — fall in love — 
that will give you mysteries enough for a while. 
Yes, I mean it — and don't forget, my dear boy, 
that you've interested me. 

{Shakes hands with Philo and goes down. 
[29} 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Philo listens until he has reached the foot 
of the stairs.) 

Philo 

The heavens open — the suns speak — and he is 

— interested ! {Closes door.) Alone ! . . . Fall 

in love ! Light the candle and put out the stars ! 

. . . {Returns to his instrument.) ... It is still. 

{Steps are heard on the stairs, then a knock at 

the door. He crosses softly to door and 

shoots the bolt.) 

Voice {without) 
It's Reba, Philo ! Won't you let me in ? 
{He is silent, and steps retreat.) 
Philo {crossing to centre) 
Reba ! That folly's done with, thank God ! . . . 
{Begins walking.) Seymour. ... I didn't know 
how much I was hoping from him. ... It is 
hard, hard to go on alone. But I must! I can't 
turn back from that call. When a child cries we 
turn, and listen, and help. And this — this is the 
voice of a world ! 

{A knock is heard at door.) 

Voice of Warner 
Philo ! 

Philo 

Buzz, buzz, old bee ! 

[30] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Voice 

Come down, son ! 

Philo 

Please leave me alone, father. I can't bear 
anything more to-night. 

{A pause, and Warner goes down.) 
Philo {coming to table) 

I will work — work — work ! {Busies his hands.) 
Not a voice to help me — not a smile of hope — not 
a touch of sympathy. {Sits still and despairing.) 
. . . Perhaps the time is not ripe for larger 
knowledge. Nature and the Divinity that guides 
her must protect their new evolving creatures. A 
too sudden revelation and they might perish from 
sheer wonder. . . . Yes, truth must come sof- 
tened, as a dream, to the man child's brain. Its 
naked light would sere and blind him forever. . . . 
But to me it has been- given to see — to hear — and 
keep sane in the light. Oh, from what planet is 
the call ? From what one of the hundred million 
spheres ? How many centuries has it been sent 
outward to the deaf, the dumb, and the blind ? 
And what is the word ? Is it Hail ? Help ? 
Hope ? . . . Or is it an answer ? An answer to 
some signal of mine .^ How shall I know ? . . . 
How shall I know ? 

[31} 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

{There is a noise outside the window. Philo 
does not look up. Reba appears and leaps 
lightly through the windows. Advances cen- 
tre. Her dress is of clinging black, relieved 
by a floating scarf of cloudy white. She has 
a mass of blonde hair, and all the charms 
properly belonging to her age, which is 
eighteen.) 

Reba 
Philo! 

Philo {turning) 
Reba! 

Reba 
Don't be angry. 

Philo 
How did you get here ? 

Reba 
The window. Don't you remember — you 
showed me how to climb up once — with a ladder 
— the tree — and the shed roof? Oh, the things, 
you've forgotten, Philo ! 

{He goes to door and unbolts it.) 
Philo 
You must go down, Reba. {She does not move.) 
What will mother say ? 

Reba {laughing) 
She held the ladder for me. 
[32] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Philo 
Mother ? 

Reba 

You've frightened her so. You mustn't bolt 

the door again. She's afraid you'll do something 

dreadful. 

Philo 

You were not afraid to come. 

Reba 
I like to take risks. Life's dull in this village. 

Philo 
How you've changed, Reba ! 

Reba 
It's taken you long enough to find it out. I've 
been back a month. 

Philo 
You'd better go down. I'm very busy, and 
I've had a long interruption this evening. 
Reba 
I'm going to interrupt some more. Dr. Sey- 
mour says it's good for you. 

Philo {angrily) 
Dr. Seymour knows you've come .'' 

Reba 
Yes. He said you might like the surprise. 
Don't you hke it, Philo ? 

[33] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

{Comes near him. Philo turns away and 
busies himself about the table and shelves as 
if he meant to ignore her utterly. Reba 
watches him, then goes to window and takes 
a large apple from the ledge. Comes back.) 

Reba 
I brought you an apple — such a love of an apple. 
There's a whole summer of sunsets in it. I 
climbed the tree myself. 

Philo {not looking) 
Thank you; I don't eat. 
Reba 
Don't eat! Well, there it is! {Throws it on 
the table. He jumps to protect his instrument.) 
You can lick it when you're hungry ! 

{He sits down and begins to work. She walks 
to other side of table and picks up a book.) 

Reba 
Oh ! Our old " Swiss Family Robinson " ! The 
very one we read together ! With our names in 
it ! You've kept it all the time ! {Hugging it.) 
Dear old book ! {Turns the leaves.) Why — the 
leaves are half gone ! 

Philo 
They're handy for cleaning my wires. 
[34} 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

{She throws the book down^ and stands uncer- 
tain^ 

Philo 
Going, Reba ? Good night ! 

Reba 
No, I'm not going. This is my last chance. 
You'll bar the window to-morrow. 

Philo {determinedly) 
Yes, I will. 

{He bends closely over his work. She lies across 
the table opposite, watching his movements 
intently. He fumbles for a tool.) 
Reba 
The little one ? Here it is ! 

{Hands him a small wire tool. He stares at 
her face so near his own, then takes the in- 
strument and works confusedly. Jumps up 
and tries to reach a jar on one of the shelves. 
Reba leaps onto a chair y takes the jar and 
hands it down. He stares, and takes jar.) 
Reba {as he returns to table) 
Ugh! These jars are so dirty, Philo. May I 
wash them for you ? 

Philo 
Heavens, no! 

Reba 

Oh, that makes you sit up ! {Hums a little, 
[35] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

leaps down and begins to move the things on the 

tabled I'll make the table tidy for you, Philo. 

Philo {grabbing her hands') 
Stop! 

Reba {sings^ swinging his hands across the 
table) 

"All around the mulberry bush " 

Philo 
Let go! 

Reba 
Why, you're holding me! 

{He drops her hands and goes to window^ as if 
intending flight. She becomes subtle.) 
Reba 
Dr. Seymour says youVe done something won- 
derful, Philo. Won't you show me your machine ? 

Philo 
No. 

Reba 
But I care! I care more than anybody! I 
want you to be great. I could sit by you all my 
life just watching you being great. (Philo smiles. 
She twirls over to him.) And I don't like to be 
still, either. 

Philo 
But suppose people began to laugh .at you as 
they do at me .'' 

[36} 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Reba 
I wouldn't care. Show me the machine, Philo. 
{Takes his arm and they move back to table.) 

Philo 
There it is. 

Reba {hovering over it) 
This is it. {Throwing her head back.) Tell me 

about it. 

Philo 

Reba — your throat is — so white. 

Reba {bending suddenly over machine) 

There's something moving. 

Philo 
So white. 

Reba 

Two — one — two, three 

(Philo goes to door and flings it open.) 

Philo 
Reba, go down ! 

{She crosses to door, shuts it, and stands with 
her back against it.) 
Reba 
Not till we've had a talk, Philo. I've a right 
to it after what you said two years ago — when 
I went away to school. Have you forgotten it .'' 
Shall I tell you what you said ? 
[37] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Philo 
No! 

Reba 

You said you loved me, Philo. And I believed 
it for two years. When I came back you were 
silent. I've tried to make you speak — I've got 
in your way — I've done everything nice girls 
don't do — because — I love you as much as you 
love that! {Waves her hand toward the machine.) 
Philo 
Don't say it. It can't be true. No woman 
could love so much as that. {Goes back to table.) 
Reba {following him) 
I don't ask you to love me. But let me come 
here and sit by you sometimes. I could be happy 
then — though I don't like to be still. I was going 
to a dance to-night. 

Philo 
A dance ! 

Reba 

But I knew you were up here alone — and I 
had heard — oh, my dear ! — that they were going 
to send you away. I couldn't bear it. I had to 
come. Oh, Philo, they shall not send you away ! 
Dr. Seymour says all you need is a new interest. 
Philo 
To dance, perhaps ! 

[38] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Reba 
Well — why not ? It is fun. We were to be 
in fancy dress, and I was going as Night. See — 
{waving her scarf) this is my cloud — and my hair 
is the moon ! I washed it to-day so it would be 
fluffy. Just see how soft it is ! 

Philo {touching her hair) 
How fine ! Will you give me a lock, Reba ? 

Reba 
Oh, yes ! Where are your scissors ? Here ! 
{Takes scissors from table.) You cut it, Philo. 
{He takes scissors.) Anywhere. It's curly at the 
neck and temples. 

Philo {cutting lock) 
I don't want a curl. {Puts hair carefully in 
table drawer.) I'm making a new machine and I 
need long hairs for some of the parts. 
Reba {raging) 
You sha'n't have it ! You sha'n't ! 

{Tries to open drawer. They struggle. She 
gets her arms about his 7-ieck.) 

Philo {pushing her of) 

Your throat 

{Kisses it. She clings to him, and he sits 
down, holding her on his knee?) 
[39] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Reba 
I knew ! I knew ! Oh, Philo, you haven't for- 
gotten ! You remember — everything ! 

Philo 
Everything ! 

Reba 

That day we went fishing and 

Philo {laughing) 
Forgot the tackle ! 

Reba 
And that last evening in the orchard, when you 

said 

Philo 
I love you ! 

Reba 

Oh, you look just as you did then — so happy ! 
I nearly died when I came hom.e and saw the 
change in your face. It seemed to shut me out, 
like a great iron door. Philo. . . . You won't 

forget again ? 

Philo 
Never ! 

Reba 

And I may come every day ? 

Philo 
Every day ! 

Reba 

ril help you, Philo. I'll give you all my hair. 
[40} 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

{Lays her head on his shoulder.) And I'll let you 
work and not think of me at all. You can live 

with your stars 

Philo {kissing her) 
There are no stars ! 

Reba {laughing) 
ril never be jealous again ! {Gets up.) Come ! 
Let's see what the dinky thing is doing ! 

{Goes to table. Philo watches her^ slowly re- 
peating her name.) 

Reba 
What a little thing it is ! And — there is some- 
thing fluttering ! 

(Philo crosses, still seeing nothing but the girl.) 
Reba 

See — I'm trying to count — two — three 

{He looks downy and becomes transfixed.) 

Philo 
Oh, my God ! They've changed the signal ! . . . 
Look, Reba ! Count the beats ! Count for me ! 
Count ! 

Reba {confused) 

Two — three — no, four 

Philo 
Can't you count? Get away! {Pushes her 
[41] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

aside.) Two — three — four — three — They have 
changed it ! Oh, I must answer ! 

Reba 
Philo 

Philo 
Go down ! 

Reba {clinging to him) 

I won't — I won't 

Philo {putting her in a chair) 

Sit there, then. And for God's sake be still! 
{Returns to machine and counts under his breath.) 
It is true — it is true — and I am not ready ! I am 
dumb, like all the world ! I cannot let them 
know! {Walks the floor , muttering) But I will — 
I must. {Crosses to window.) I must do it ! — 
think of nothing else — nothing ! I shall not sleep 
till it is done ! . . . But they will call me mad — 
lock me up before I have finished, God, before I 

have finished ! 

Reba 
Philo, listen ! 

Philo 

It's the world's way ... to beat the spirit 

down . . . the eager spirit, superbly sane, daring 

to pierce the barriers between heaven and earth ! 

Reba 

I'll not sit here ! {She sits nevertheless.) 

[42] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Philo 
Oh, Truth-driven martyrs, seers of visions, 
prophets of the old world and the new, born out 
of your time to suffer by fire, by sword, and prison 

bars ! 

Reba {cooingly) 
Dear Philo ! 

Philo 

I too shall join you ! Forerunners of the waking 
spirit of the world ! 

(Reba gets before him as he walks. Com- 
pletely absorbed, he puts her aside, absently 
but gently, as if she were a kitten he did 
not wish to hurt.) 

Philo 
I must finish it — I must — before they beat me 
down ! {Pauses by machine.) There is no one 
but me to do it. If I fail they may have to wait 
another million years — out there — working, wait- 
ing. {Resumes walk.) I shall not fail. I have 
gone too far. God will take my part now. Be 
it His own eternal sign, I will answer it ! 

Reba 
I'll make you see me ! 

{Runs to table, leaps upon it and begins a dance 
among the wires and bottles. He is stunned 
[43} 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

for a moment, then rushes to her, seizes her 

waist with both hands, lifts her up, and flings 

her to a chair ^ 

Philo 

Sit there, you dragon-fly! Or I'll crush you! 

{Goes to window, as ifjor breath and air. Recovers 

poise.) Let them think me mad. Up here I shall 

work it out. And I shall not be alone. Earth 

will not hear me, but the heavens will listen. 

{Holds his hands toward the stars.) My only 

friends ! 

Reba 

Crush me ! (•S'i^^ steals up to the table, seizes a 
large book, and brings it down with utter destruction 
upon his machine. Philo turns and sees. They 
face each other. She shrinks, terrified.) Don't, 
Philo! {Kneels, throwing back her head, showing 
the long line of her throat.) Forgive me ! It was 
driving you mad ! I wanted to save you ! Don't 
look like that ! Forgive me, Philo ! 
Philo 
Your throat — is — so white ! 

{Seizes and chokes her. As he seizes her she 

gives a cry of terror. Warner, Mrs. W., 

Seymour, and Bellows rush up the stairs 

and enter. Philo takes his hands from the 

[44] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

girl's throat and stands apart. She lies 
motionless,) 

Warner {roaring) 
You've managed, Mary Ann ! 

Bellows {excitedly) 
Who's right, now, Seymour ? 

(Seymour bends over Reba, listening for her 
heart-beat.) 

Warner {choking) 
A hanging in the family ! 

Mrs, W, 
Is she — dead ? 

Seymour 
No. It is chiefly fear. {Works over her body.) 

Philo {to himself) 
Poor httle bird ! Poor little bird ! 

Bellows {taking a pair of handcuff s from his 
pocket and offering them to Warner) 
Better clap these on him. We're none of us 
safe. 

Philo 
Handcuffs, doctor ? I'll make no trouble. 
{Holds out his hands and Bellows fastens 
handcuffs.) 

Bellows 
It's for your own good, Philo. 
[45] 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Seymour 
Our mistake — our mistake ! Poor boy ! 

Bellows 
Poor girly I should say ! 

Seymour {lifting Reba) ' 

I'll take her down-stairs. {Carries her to door.) 

I shall need you, Mrs. Warner. j 

(Mrs. W. follows, weeping and looking back \ 

at Philo.) ; 

Philo \ 

I'm all right, mother. 

Mrs.W. \ 

All right. Oh, God help him ! {Exit.) 

Bellows i 

Clean mad ! i 

Philo {crosses, and looks down on the wreck 

of his machine) \ 

Silent . . . but I have heard ! The divine - 

whisper has reached me ! \ 

Bellows 

! 
That's still on his mind, you see. Better leave \ 

him up here till morning. Seymour and I will \ 

fix up the papers and take him off to-morrow. I 

I'm sorry, Philo, but you know it's for the best. \ 

Philo \ 

I'll make no trouble. Don't worry, doctor. '\ 

[46] 1 



THE FLUTTER OF THE GOLDLEAF 

Bellows {to himself y going) 
Lord, he's cool ! {Advising Warner, in cau- 
tiously lowered tone.) That's the way with the 
worst of them. {Exit.) 

Warner 
Want me to stay with you, Philo ? 

Philo 
No, father. 

Warner {relieved) 
Good night, son. {At door.) Mother'll send 
up some blankets. {Exit.) 
Philn 
Blankets! 

(curtain) 



[47} 



THE JOURNEY 

BY 

Olive Tilford Dargan 



CHARACTERS 

Princess Wong Fe, bride of Yu Tat Shun 

So Siu, her friend 

Prince Ching 

Makuro, of Japan 

Yu Tai Shun, of all nations 



THE JOURNEY 

Scene : Room in a farmhouse above Siangtan, where 
the Siang flows among hills. The rear of room 
has wide exit to a porch, beyond which show the 
tops of pear and peach trees in full bloom. 
Steps lead down to the orchard, and the orchard 
slopes to the river. 

Wong Fe and So Siu present. 

Wong Fe 
My lily So Siu, has not the dishonorable color 
left my wretched cheeks ? Is not my face like 
the dough before it goes into the oven ? 

So Siu 
Oh, my golden Fe, pearls in the dawn are no 
fairer ! 

Wong Fe 

But these cow-girl's tatters ! Would not my 
gown of meadow-green mist with the peach-gold 
underrobe make me less haggard ? 

So Siu 
When your lord, Yu Tai Shun, returns from the 

hills he will say 

£51} 



THE JOURNEY 

Wong Fe 
Oh, what will he say ? 

So Siu 
That the fairies have been your friends. They 
wove for you this robe of rose-leaves, and threw 
over you a gray cloud from the Witch's Mountain. 
(Wong Fe trips gaily ^ then with sudden sur- 
render begins to weep.) 
So Siu 
Have no shame, beloved of miserable So Siu. 
Water must follow the fire. I am only a maid, 
but I know that when the honeymoon is without 
tears two pigs have married. Ah, wet my sleeve, 
my dear one, and not thine that will lie on the 
neck of the golden lord, Yu Tai Shun. 
Wong Fe 
When I awoke this morning the sunhght was 
on my pillow, but Yu Tai Shun was gone. All 
day I have not seen his face. And now the last 
swallow has left the sky. 

So Siu 
Why did Prince Ching and the young Japanese 
choose this day to be guests of Yu Tai Shun ? It 
is sad for the wife when the friends of her lord 
find her alone. Yu Tai Shun will beat his door- 
step for not calling him. 

[52} 



THE JOURNEY 

JVong Fe 
He will ! Prince Ching is almost his father. 
May his age climb as the hills, always nearer the 

sky I r. r.. 

^ So Siu 

Indeed, you would be sitting alone in a cloud 
of sighs, not fast wedded to the bringer of dawn, 
Yu Tai Shun, if Prince Ching had not won his 
way to your brothers, the mighty princes, Wong 
Li and Wong Sen, 

Wong Fe 

I kiss his honorable dust ! He shall live with 
my ancestors ! And Makuro, the young Japa- 
nese, I shall love him too, for he is most dear to 
Yu Tai Shun. Do they still sit in the orchard ? 
So Siu 

They have not moved, nor paused in their talk- 
ing. Do you not hear.'' Like bees that cannot 
choose their flower. It may be that they have 
brought news to Yu Tai Shun, and his gloom will 

pass. 

Wong Fe 

No, I feel it was their coming, like a far cloud, 

that shadowed him. Oh, my So Siu, it will be 

darker now ! 

So Siu 

I have sent tea and cakes to the orchard. 

£53} 



THE JOURNEY 

Wong Fe 
It shall not be dark. Do not the fairies of the 
sun weave a white world out of the threads of 
midnight ? I will pray to them. We must be 
merry, my lily So Siu. 

So Siu 
And why not ? 

Wong Fe 

I shall dance to-night before Yu Tai Shun. 
{Tripping^ Is it not good to have feet } My 
honorable and glorious mamma weeps when I 
dance, but it is because she was born too soon 
and they crippled her beloved feet. 
So Siu 

How glad I am that the old world is gone when 
only the painted flower-girls could do the happy 
things ! 

Wong Fe 

And it was my own lord, Yu Tai Shun, who 
made the earth new again ! 
{She listens^ suddenly still.) 
So Siu 
He is here ! 

Wong Fe 

My darling So Siu 

So Siu 
I go ! (Darts from room^ right ^ 

{54] 



THE JOURNEY 

Wong Fe 
I would be dancing, but I cannot move. There 
are anchors of fear on my toes. 

{Enter Yu Tai Shun, left. He is dressed in 
gray flannels y of American pattern^ 

Shun [stopping before Wong Fe) 

I left a witch-cloud on the hills, and it has 

dropped down before me. 

{She courtesies to the floor. He snatches her 

up.) 

Shun 

No ! I want my Western bride to-night. 

Wong Fe 
But this is a Chinese orchard, and it is spring- 
time. Let me worship a little. 
Shun 
Never, my mountain bird ! 

{Draws her to the steps, where they sit.) 
Wong Fe 
You are weary, beloved ? 
Shun 
Not now. I have my rest. To-morrow you 
shall go with me. 

Wong Fe 
Up the mountain ? 

[55] 



THE JOURNEY 

Shun 

I will show you where I dropped the storm in 

my heart. ^^^ 7^ / . • ,, x 

Wong Fe yttmidly) 

Will it come again, Yu Tai Shun ? 

Shun 
Nothing can wake it again. 
Wong Fe 
Then indeed I am your bride ! 

Shun 
Heart of my body art thou, Wong Fe ! 

{Holds her to his breast a moment^ looking dis- 
tantly out. Suddenly sees his friends ap- 
proaching.) 

Shun 
We have guests ? 

Wong Fe {quickly springing up) 
Forgive me ! Your friends are here. Prince 
Ching, and Makuro, from Japan. 
Shun 
Makuro } 

{He throws up his right hand. In a moment 
Prince Ching and Makuro are seen ad- 
vancing from the orchard.) 
Wong Fe 
They have had my welcome. I leave you. 
{Crosses to rights reluctantly.) 
[36] 



THE JOURNEY 

Shun 
Return to us soon, my gold of the morning. 
{She goes out. Ching and the Japanese enter ^ 
Ching 
We have waited, Yu Tai Shun. We knew that 
the setting sun would turn a bridegroom home. 

Makuro 
Master ! 

Shun 
My friend ! What brings you to China ? 

Makuro {with steady gaze) 
You know. I have come for you. 

Shun {stubbornly y as if chidden) 
My work is done. China is free. 

Ching 
Her slavery is only beginning. You may hide 
your body but you cannot bury your mind under 
peach-blossoms. 

Shun 

The republic is established. 

Ching 
But not a democracy. 

Shun 
My work is done. Twenty years have I given 
to the cause of the people. Now until I die I 
will toil and sing in the fields of my fathers. 
[57] 



THE JOURNEY 

{They have gradually come to centre of room, 
which servants have lighted. Wong Fe 
silently returns^ but at a sign from Ching 
she retreats and remains by wall, right, par- 
ticipating in the scene that follows, though 
Yu Tai Shun and Makuro are unaware of 
her presence^ 

Makuro 
Do you remember when I stood here once be- 
fore, Yu Tai Shun ? 

Shun 
Can you ask me that, Makuro ? 

Makuro 
Why not, when you seem to have forgotten all 
that passed between us ? I went from that meet- 
ing with an imperishable fire in my heart. I re- 
turn, and the light that kindled mine is dark. We 
stood here, and the words you spoke were brighter 
than the lamps of Siangtan that we looked down 
upon. Shall I repeat them, Yu Tai Shun ? 
{Shun is silent.) 

Ching 
I would hear them, Makuro. 

Makuro 
The master said: "Forty centuries has China 
been content to plough, to sow, to reap, and with 
[58} 



THE JOURNEY 

her harvest support one-quarter of the human 
lives on our planet. Drudgery has been her lot, 
frugality her virtue. Only so had she lease of 
breath. Now she is to unlock her mines, build 
ships, and roads of commerce, and with the magic 
of machinery set her people free. If that magic 
is owned by a few, there will be no freedom, but 
a slavery whose agony no man can tell. Every 
owner will be a monarch greater than the Son of 
Heaven to whom we bowed. We cannot shut 
them out by war. We can do it solely by making 
China a true democracy where the people them- 
selves own the magic tools and the great ways to 
the markets. To do this is the work of all who 
love Freedom, and I know no other goddess." 
Were these your words, Yu Tai Shun ? 
Shun 

Yes . . . my words. 

Makuro 

That was five years ago. From all parts of the 
earth come powers fulfilling your fear. Leagued 
with our own purblind princes and dwellers in the 
dusk, they hover over China, waiting for war and 
bribery to dismember her. And you say your 
work is done. Yu Tai Shun, where have you 
buried my master ? 

[59] 



THE JOURNEY 

Ching 
In the heart of the Princess Wong Fe. 

Shun {rallying) 
May we not be too stern in our judgment of 
the lords of steam and iron ? Lei Kung Sang and 
the British minister of the So-nan mineral beds 
have built houses for the people. 
Ching 
And have taken their land. Men who plucked 
their own fruit, and took food from their own gar- 
dens, now cannot eat until they have torn new 
treasure out of the earth for the kind Briton and 
the good Lei Kung Sang. 
Shun 
Their days of work were always long and weary. 

Ching 
But they toiled as free men in the sun, and as 
free men sang from the river-boats when the moon 
rose. In America, where there is still much land 
and few people, there are places where children 
go down into the mines and never see the sun ex- 
cept on the day they call "holy." How will it 
be with China's four hundred millions, when there 
are not even waste places where those who would 
flee may gather ? For even her great untilled 
spaces are being covered by the foreign hand. 
[60] 



THE JOURNEY 

Makuro 
Slavery will be born again with depths the an- 
cients never knew. 

Shun 

But the spirit of brotherhood is growing. 

Makuro 
Power has no brothers ! It was you who 
taught me that, Yu Tai Shun. 

Shun 
Do you forget that we built our republic with 
the aid of these same princes of power ? 

Ching 
We forget nothing. They let us beat down the 
throne because they could not use it — a rigid tra- 
dition — but the republic — they are the republic ! 

Shun 
Can we not trust a little ? In our greatest need, 
alien hands have reached out to help us. And 
we have true hearts among our Chinese lords. 
Not all have joined with the invader to herd the 
people into slave-yards. Pei Chen-Ping and Sa 
Yi are most liberal. You, Prince Ching, and those 
you gather to you, have hearts like the rising sun. 
And the noble princes of the house of Wong — have 
they not given me my bride ^ 

[61} 



THE JOURNEY 

Ching 

Ay, when your sighs had blown around the 

world for seven years, they yielded her. You 

were a power to be checked, and they set a woman 

in your path. 

^ ^ Shun 

No! 

Ching 

It was a Japanese from the Fushun colheries, a 

Russian prince of the Northern railways, a French 

buyer of Yunnan copper, a British ship-baron of 

Hongkong, and the Chinese owners of the un- 

worked gold veins of Szechuan, who went to the 

brothers of Wong Fe and said: "Give Yu Tai 

Shun his bride." 

Shun 

It was you who spoke for me ! 

Ching 
You had no father, and in my heart you were 
my son. I spoke for you because I believed in 
you. I did not think that any bribe could lure 
you from us. Yours was a soul that we thought 
would be a torch to every nation of earth. And 
you choose to go out like a candle in the breath of 
a woman. 

(Yu Tai Shun is bowed and silent. Makuro 
touches his sleeve.) 

[62] 



THE JOURNEY 

Makuro 
Come with us, master. 

Ching 
In half an hour the boat will stop at the orchard 
pier for Makuro. He starts for Japan. It is 
there you are needed. 

Makuro 
I come from our friends with their summons. 
Japan's oligarchy of traders, with every means 
known to power — school, religion, racial pride and 
hate — is fostering the spirit of war. All the seeds 
of the jungle are being deliberately sown once more 
in men's hearts. They are preparing Japan to 
hold the largest share of an industrially broken 
China and weld her millions into one instrument 
of hate against the West. 
Shun 
A pigmy's dream ! 

Ching 
A dream that will come true if our giants con- 
tinue to sleep. 

Makuro 

It is the menace of America that Japan holds 

before her people till their hearts roll with fear, 

their brains grow sick with rage. America, who 

has insulted us with exclusion — who has snatched 

[63} 



THE JOURNEY 

an island chain from our Eastern waters, and shot, 
starved, imprisoned thousands ignorant enough 
and brave enough to resist her. That is the 
America my people are taught to believe in. But 
you know a different America, where people love 
honor and hate war — whose religion is love thy 
neighbor as thyself. Come, teach them of that 
America ! You are known in a million homes of 
Japan. You have taught us to love you, and 
where we love, we listen. 

Shun {with great efort) 

I cannot go. If I part from Wong Fe the blood 
will leave my veins and flow back to her. 
Makuro 

Then take her with you. 
Shun 

You know what this journey means. 
Ching 

Yes, you must go free. With such a weight you 
would be useless. I will take Wong Fe to her 

brothers. 

Shun 

I shall hold her forever ! 
Ching 
You think joy can last so long ? {To Makuro, 
shrugging.) A boy yet ! 

[64] 



THE JOURNEY 

Shun 
In Japan you have my young scholar, Onoto. 
All my knowledge I have given him. In his heart 
is my purpose, his eyes hold my vision. 
Makuro 
0"°'°' Shun 

His years are younger, his flame will leap higher. 
I am only one who fails you. In every nation 
our numbers are growing. Do not fear for hu- 
manity. Our brothers are everywhere. 
Makuro 
You say Onoto ? 

Shun 
He has the gift of the shining word — the word 
that draws the heart as a full moon at sea draws 
the eye. I can turn my back on the world and 
rob it of nothing, for I have given it Onoto. 
Ching 
How long have you been chirping here like a 
cricket under a leaf, with no news from the road- 
side ? Shun 

It is three weeks to-day since I brought Wong 
Fe to the door of my fathers. 
Ching 
Three weeks ! On the very day of your joy 
Onoto was thrown into prison. 
165-] 



THE JOURNEY 

Shun 
They would not dare ! 

Makuro 
They did dare. 

Shun 
In prison — Onoto ! 

Makuro 
No, he is not now in prison. 

Shun 
Free? 

Makuro 

The enmity of the powers was bitter. Every- 
where he was sowing the seed of peace. In many 
a house the ancestral sword was broken at his 

''''^'''"g- Shun 

But he is free ? 

Makuro 
Yesterday {glances out at the stars), at this hour, 
he was shot. 

Shun {slowly comprehending) 
Then I have been twenty-four hours dead. 
{He steps uncertainly out to the little porch. 
They gaze at the floor, respecting his grief. 
Wong Fe makes a motion to follow him. 
Ching stops her with a gesture, and she 
shrinks back. Yu Tai Shun re-enters^ 
[66] 



THE JOURNEY 

Shun 
Your mercy, friends. {Crosses lejt^ to exit.) 

Ching 
You will go with us now ? 

Shun {turns and hurls the word) 
No! 

{An instant of silence follows his exit, then 
Wong Fe comes forward.) 
Wong Fe 
Peace to your hearts, honorable friends of Yu 
Tai Shun ! He will depart with you. 
Ching 
Not yet. We must wait. Invisible chains can- 
not be broken. But they will disunite of them- 
selves. Then he will come. 
Wong Fe 
I will send him with you to-night. 

Ching 
You send him ? 

Wong Fe 
Do you think I will divide his life so that the 
two halves can bear no fruit ? That I will wait 
until he hates me for that ruin ? 

Ching {with laughter) 
Hates you, oh princess ! 
£67} 



THE JOURNEY 

JVong Fe 
Wait till I must glean in his heart behind a spent 
passion ? — like a poor widow in the track of a 

grain-cart ? 

Ching 

The coral of your lips will defeat their com- 
mand, Wong Fe. Near you he is a dry fagot 
seized by a flame. 

Wong Fe 

I tell you he will go ! Wait in the orchard un- 
til you hear the first whistle of the boat. Then 
come for him. He will be ready. Go, honorable 
friends ! He is returning. 

Ching 
It is useless. Your words may bite like winter, 
but his eyes will see only the Spring morning. 

Wong Fe 
Go, I beg you, go ! 

{They pass out down the steps of porch. Wong 
Fe hurries to a small table ^ opens a lacquered 
box and takes from it a stiletto^ which she hides 
in the folds of her sleeve. She is dancing as 
Yu Tai Shun enters ^ and sings as she dances.) 

The thousand odors of Spring 

Are the thousand arms of love. 

[68} 



THE JOURNEY 

They find thee in the valleys, 

On the crest of the hills they reach thee; 

Till Spring bear no fragrance 

Thou canst not escape them, 

The thousand arms of love ! 

The orchard pool is a pillow, 

A pillow for the twin lotus. 

And the wings of the flying geese 

Are warm in the air of heaven; 

They drop to the shadowy lake-sedge, 

For sweet looks the earth from the roads of the sky. 

And in heaven are no cool grasses. 

Ever listening 

Are the leaves of the slim dryanda. 

Whose heart is the harp of the Spring-wind. 

A dryanda-tree is my lover. 

And my thoughts are the leaves that listen. 

Autumn, Autumn, touch not my leaf-thoughts ! 

Cast them not down when the pool is grey, 

And the teal no more sail two and two 

With their breasts above one shadow. 

Shun 
Come to me, Wong Fe ! I feel that you have 
blown through my door like a rose petal, and will 
[69} 



THE JOURNEY 

drift away again, leaving me not a footprint to 

kiss. 

Wong Fe 

Neither in life nor in death shall I leave you, 
my lord. Though I seem to die, and these graces 
that please you fall to earth like willow-blossoms, 
it is not I that will lie on the sand. 
Shun 
Why do you speak of death, Wong Fe ? 

Wong Fe 
Because I am so happy. The sages say that 
we can have no fairer fortune than to die in our 
happiest moment. 

Shun 
Do not speak of death. The word blisters the 
air, though your lips be as two drops of June 

Wong Fe 
But how sweet to die when I am fairest in your 
eyes ! Every year, at this time, you would walk 
down the peach-flower lanes and recall the glow 
of my cheek. Oh, Heaven, let me not be a 
faded wife in the blooming time of the year ! 
Shun 
Thy soul, Wong Fe, is the flower of my worship. 

Wong Fe 
Arid death would give my soul wholly to you. 
[70] 



THE JOURNEY 

I should be near you always. Then morning 
would not call you to the peaks, leaving me be- 
hind in the tear-dew. 

Shun 

To-morrow we shall go together. Your shadow 
will be with mine on the rocks, and under the fir- 
trees we shall forget the valley. 
Wong Fe 

And the world ? Oh, my lord, there are dis- 
tances farther than the peaks of Siang, and they 
will call you from me. It cannot be that you 
who have known all lands will be content with one. 
I would see the strange people you have made 
your brothers, would listen to their dreams, and 
read the future with their hearts. There are 
dangers you would not let my body share — I do 
not ask that — but my soul, you could forbid it 

nothing. 

^ Shun 

What have you heard ? What has Makuro 

said to you ? 

Wong Fe 

What should he say but that the cakes were 

good, and the tea had the flavor of the fields of 

Hunan .? 

Shun 

We must join our friends. Where do they wait ? 

[71] 



THE JOURNEY 

Wong Fe 
They listen for the boat that will stop at the 
foot of the orchard. Why do they go? Old 
friends should not be so brief in greeting. Could 
they not stay one night ? 
Shun 
No — no. {Sits down.) They must go. 

JVong Fe {laying her hand on his shoulder) 
What voice dost thou hear, and wilt not answer ? 

Shun 
Nothing — nothing. 

Wong Fe 
You will not long be deaf between the beating 
of our two hearts. You will hear and go. That 
is why I long for the death-fairy to come in my 
hour of happiness. You have joined with strong 
men to lift a heavy yoke from the world. My 
smiles cannot feed your spirit. Go with your 
friends. Let the whistle of the boat part us. 
Shun 
The cassia-tree may draw itself from earth, and 
walk on feet of roots through the world, but I can- 
not divide my days from yours, for you are my- 
self, Wong Fe. 

Wong Fe {resigned) 
I believe you, my lord. We shall not part. 
[72] 



THE JOURNEY 

But what joy it would be to die now in your pres- 
ence, while the love-cup is full ! Oh, I could not 
meet death alone ! You know the poor ghost in 
the song who died in the absence of her lover ? 
She is always pleading to be allowed to die again 
when his arms may be around her. So would my 
ghost go wailing if I lost your kiss in death. 
{Touches his cheek.) Is that a tear, Yu Tai Shun ? 
I torture you because I am so happy ! You shall 
laugh, my prince ! I know a new game we shall 
play. Little So Siu taught it to me to-day. She 
says it is an American game. We call it "Guess 
behind you!" You turn your back — like that — 
and you must tell me what I am doing. When 
you miss three times, then I shall tell you what 
you must pay. Now — what is it I do ? 

Shun 
You throw me a kiss. 

JVong Fe 
So I do ! And now, my soul's light ? 

{Takes stiletto from her sleeve. The whistle 
of the boat is heard. He turns. She hides 
stiletto.) 

Shun 
Our friends are going. 

£73] 



THE JOURNEY 

JVong Fe 
But wait — there is time. You must guess once 
more ! Oh, you are slow as ten turns of a river ! 
There ! 

{Turns his head with her hands j then snatches 
the stiletto J stabs herself and falls. He turns, 
kneels dazedly , and takes her in his arms 
as she dies. Ching and Makuro enter.) 
Ching 
The boat — {Stops in consternation.) 

Makuro {softly) 
Master, I did not ask this price. 

Shun {rising) 
It is paid. 

(curtain) 



[74} 



EVERYCHILD 
A PLAY OR PAGEANT 

BY 

Frederick Peterson 

AND 

Olive Tilford Dargan 



DRAMATIS PERSON.E 

Scene I. The Garden of Joy 

Cho-Cho The Clown 

Everychild 

Mother, Father, and dancing children 
Scene II. Sweat-shop 

Father, Mother, three children, Every- 
child 
Scene III. The Farmstead 

Jim the Father, Mary the Mother, 
Billie, Tom, and Rosie, their chil- 
dren. Cho-Cho and Everychild 
Scene IV. The Coal-mine 

Joe, Jack, Bert — three old miners and 
two boys 
Final Scene. Same as first scene 

Cho-Cho, Everychild, Mother, Father. 
Old group of children and new group 
with Everychild 



PROLOGUE 

BY CHO-CHO 

Good people ! 
This is the Play of Everychild 
With Cho-Cho 
As Author and Manager. 
The play has defects — 
It has good points — 
And bad points — 
Like the world itself — 
Like life ! 

Perhaps the author of the world 
Is something like me, 
A little grotesque, 
A little whimsical. 
Serious often. 

Sometimes all the more serious 
Seen through a Fool's words 
With cap and jingle of bells. 
In this droll world 
There are lots of children 
Who are the children of fools — 
Like me. 

[77} 



EVERYCHILD 

Good people ! 
I bespeak your patience 
With Everychild 
Daughter of a Clown. 



[78} 



EVERYCHILD 

Scene I: Stage dark as curtain rises. Moderate 
starlight and quiet music of cradle-song type. 
Little fairies come out dancing in the darkness 
with firefly lamps and sing the following cradle 



Some one is sleeping 

Out in the dark 
Where fireflies glimmer 

Spark upon spark. 

Some little stranger 

Come from afar 
Under the glory 

Of moon and of star. 

Deep in the blossoms 
That drift as they fall 

Some one is sleeping 
And stirs not at all. 

Sleep, little stranger ! 

The night is near gone; 
Sleep, little stranger. 

But dream of the dawn ! 

[79} 



EVERYCHILD 

The dim light reveals a dark figure lying on the mosses 
. at the foot of an old tree. As the light grows 
gradually stronger the dark object begins to move, 
to slowly take off one after another of black cov- 
erings^ revealing a little girl of nine or ten yearSy 
dressed in white. She rubs her eyes, looks about 
wonderingly, and slowly rises to a standing 
position. Meanwhile the earth grows more 
luminous and roseate. The birds have begun 
to twitter now and then before the dawn, and 
their notes increase in number and variety with 
the approach of morning. The growing light 
reveals an orchard of old apple-trees near at 
hand in full bloom, with petals falling, and hills 
and mountains lifting and towering upward 
higher and higher into the blue distance. A 
path leads from the orchard up the near hills 
and toward the heights. The music has grown 
louder, and is sweet and tender, interspersed 
with bird notes. A number of children, girls 
and boys, come out and sing and dance under 
the blossoms of the apple-trees. They sing the 
children s song: 

We are of the sunrise 
Flower-breath and dew, 

[80] 



EVERYCHILD 

Travelling wider circles 
Of blue beyond the blue, 

Seeking strength of spirit, 

Happiness and joy — 
Heritage decreed for 

Every girl and boy. 

Music of the moonbeams 

And the orchard rain. 
Music of the meadows 

Waving with the grain. 

Mountains in the sunlight. 

Colors of the flowers. 
Trailing cloud and shadow — 

All of these are ours. 

We are of the sunrise 

Flower-breath and dew. 
Travelling wider circles 

Of blue beyond the blue. 

The little girl in the foreground looks with wonder 
and delight at the entrancing spectacle. She 
has her side to the audience. She raises her 
arms, listens, rubs her eyes, smiles with joy. 
She touches the grass, the flowers, the trees, 
[81} 



EVERYCHILD 

picks up and smells the Jailing apple-blossoms. 
She begins to dance like the other children. One 
of them sees her and runs toward her with arms 
outstretched. The newcomer touches her hair 
and her hands. They smile at each other. The 
little girl leads the stranger toward the others 
and has her join in the dance. The dancing is 
in the Greek manner. They play with a lights 
large, bubble-like balloon. 

Little Girl 
What is your name ? 

Stranger 
I do not understand. 

Little Girl 
Oh, of course, I forgot. I will lead you to 
some one who will give you a name. 

{A man and woman have come slowly through 
the orchard and seated themselves on a bench 
under an apple-tree. Two or three of the 
children lead the stranger up to them.) 
Stranger {feeling of the hair and gown of 
the woman 
Who are you ? 

Woman {smiling) 
I am your mother. 

[82] 



EVERYCHILD 

Stranger {feeling of the hair and face 
and garments of the man) 
Who are you ? 

Man 
I am your father. 

Stranger 
What place is this ? They told me somewhere 
— but I have forgotten — that I should die there 
which is being born here and come to the earth. 
Mother 
Yes, this is our world, and I shall give you a 
name. I shall name you Everychild. 
Everychild 
Is it always and everywhere so beautiful ? 

Mother 
No, but it should be so, and some day it will 

Father 
It is a dream we have. 

Mother 
It will be even more beautiful than this, for we 
shall go higher, and climb those Morning Moun- 
tains. The flowers of the Spirit grow there. 
Everychild 
And we shall gather them } 

Father 
Yes, Everychild. Come now, and bring all the 
[83] 



EVERYCHILD 

others with you. We will take that path yonder 

to the hills. 

Mother 
No, wait ! They are not all here. There are 
some missing. They must all come. 
Father 
It will be so long to wait. Let us go with these. 
Mother {lay ing her hand on Everychild's head) 
Have we not named her Everychild ? 

Father 

Yes. She must go down and find all who have 

lost their way. Perhaps some have awakened 

in the wrong place and are wandering about in 

the dark jungle of the world. We will wait here 

till they come. 

Mother 
Go, Everychild. Find them and bring them 
all back with you. Take this lamp. {Hands her 
a rose-colored lamp, etc.) 

Father 
Our lamp ? 

Mother 
Our love ! 

Father 
Take it, Everychild. With this lamp you can 
find the lost children and bring them all back with 
you. 

£84} 



EVERYCHILD 

Mother 
We will wait for them no matter how long. 
(EvERYCHiLD Starts down along a path leading 
off the stage to the right — the music and sing- 
ing continue through the whole scene. Cho- 
Cho appears, right, for a moment and points 
her path to her saying : " This way, Every - 
child:') 

(curtain falls) 

Curtain rises revealing 
Scene II: A squalid room in a city tenement, a 
miserable stove, a bedraggled bed. Right, a 
table at which a poorly dressed man and woman 
are working fast and feverishly. Three children 
of about four, eight, and ten years sit on a bench, 
left, sewing as fast as they can, looking tired, 
depressed, weary. It is evening, the room 
poorly lit. Noises from the street, street calls, 
rumbling of vehicles, honk of autos, etc., etc. 
The Younger Child 
Ma, can I go to bed ? I am so tired and hungry. 

Mother 

It ain't ten yet. It will be only a few minutes 

more. The boss is coming early in the morning 

and we must have the work ready. Now you be 

[85] 



EVERYCHILD 

still and keep working. You don't know what a 
good home you got. Ain't she got a good home, 
John ? 

Father 
You bet she got a good home, and if you all work 
now we get the good coffee and bread in the morn- 
ing and perhaps in a couple a weeks we all go to 
the movies. 

Oldest Child 
Gee, I like to see that fairy play what we see 
once. 

{Bell strikes ten.) 

Mother 
Now, go right to bed, children. It is ten o'clock. 
{Takes light and goes with husband into room 
right. Children undress and scramble into 
one bed.) 
{Street noises all discontinue, back of room 
opens out on to the orchard and the music of 
first scene is heard with dancing children. 
EvERYCHiLD comcs into the room with her 
rosy lamp. The three children sit up in bed 
and rub their eyes. Everychild glides 
all about the room and looks at the squalid 
place in dismay, then goes up and smiles at 
the children^ 

[86] 



EVERYCHILD 

Everychild 
You are some of the lost children. How did 
you get in here ? Come with me. I will give you 
some better clothes and you can dance and sing 
with all of them. 

{They get out of bed and she leads them in won- 
der and joy out into the orchard^ 
(curtain falls) 

Scene III: Plain interior of a farmer's kitchen with 
farmer's wife busy over stove^ and kitchen table 
set for lunch for two. Adjacent room^ left^ small 
bedroom in which lies a pallid thin child in bed 
with dishes and bottles on little bedside table. 
Very little light. Curtains to a single window 
down. Farmer in overalls comes in, looking 
hot and tired. He throws hat on chair^ says 
''Hullo, Mary, dinner ready?'' and proceeds 
to wash hands and face in a basin on a stool. 
Then sits down at the table. 

Mary {bringing food from stove and sitting 

down opposite^ 

Here we are, Jim. Guess you're ready for 

something. It takes a man to sprout a patch o' 

locusts, and you had breakfast by lamplight. 

[87] 



EVERYCHILD 

Jim 

Some o' them roots seemed as long as from here 

to the barn. 

Mary 

But you'll have the best pasture in the county 

next year. ^. 

What's the good ? We rationed our beef steers 
the way that government chap taught us, and 
our pigs, and our sheep, and who got the profit ? 
Mary 
A lot more documents came from the govern- 
ment to-day — all about pigs. And we haven't 
got a decent house to live in ! If we could only 
build on that pretty bit of high ground I've had 
picked out for three years, Rosie would quit 
havin' these sick spells. 

Jim 
How is she, mother ? 

Mary 
I b'lieve she's a little better. Jim, have you 
got any money left from sellin' the car \ 
Jim 
You know we had to pay the interest at the 
bank first of all, and the rest went for fertilizer. 
Mary 
I miss the car more on Rosie's account than 
[88} 



EVERYCHILD 

mine. She's been cryin' for a ride this morning. 
I didn't know what to say. And I had to promise 
her she could go to the picnic if she got well. 
That'll mean a pretty dress, and hat and shoes. 
Jim 

I don't know where you'll get 'em then. 
Mary 

Looks like we ought to be able to give our chil- 
dren a little pleasure. There's poor Billie and 
Tom don't more'n get home from school an' lay 
their books down till they have to go to hoein' and 
pullin' weeds. I don't blame Billie a bit for 
runnin' away and goin' fishin' last Saturday. 
Jim 

I don't either, though I had to whip him for it. 
I can't do without his work and get through. 

Mary 
Get through ? When did we ever get through 
anyhow ? Look at this, Jim. {Picks up paper and 
points to paragraph?) Beef steers sold to-day in 
Chicago at nine cents a pound. It cost us four- 
teen cents to raise ours, and we're countin' on 
makin' things easier by raisin' more next year. 
And see here, it says beef went up in the Eastern 
market four cents. 

C89] 



EVERYCHILD 

Jim 
Steers down, beef up ! Robbin' both ways. 
{Enter Billie and Tom with schoolbooks^ which 
they throw down, shouting: "We got a half- 
holiday !*') 

Billie 
The big boys are goin' to play ball. Dad, can't 
we go watch 'em ? (Mary and Jim look at each 
other.) 

We ain't seen a ball game this year, and we want 
to learn to play. They're makin' a little boys' team 
at school. 

Mary 

Daddy's workin' awfully hard to-day. He needs 
you bad to pile brush for him. 

Jim 
You can't go to-day, boys. Next time 

Billie {hopeless) 
Oh, next time ! It's always next time. 

Mary 
Wash up now, and you can have a hot dinner. 

{They wash listlessly.) 

Jim 
Mary, I think you'd better telephone for the 
doctor to come and have a look at Rosie. 
[90} 



EVERYCHILD 

Mary {hesitating 
I did — this morning. He said he didn't have 
time to come out to-day. 

Jim 
Dr. Lowden ? 

Mary 
Guess he's tired o' comin' for nothing. You 
can't blame him. 

(Jim hangs his head. A knock at the door. 
Jim rises and opens it. Cho-Cho enters 
giggling and grimacing while the farmer and 
his wife are speechless with amazement^ 

Cho-Cho 
You sent for a doctor ? 

Jim 
Yes — but — you — ain't — no doctor. 

Cho-Cho 
No, I — ain't — no — doctor {mimicking)^ but my 
daughter is a doctor and here she is now. 

{Enter Everychild disguised as a doctor^ with 
a long black cape hiding her white dress ^ a pair 
of goggles over her eyes, a long white beard, a 
white wig, a man's hat on, a little black bag 
in her hands.) 

[91] 



EVERYCHILD 

Jim {tearing his hair distractedly) 
You say that little old man is your daughter and 
a doctor ? 

Cho-Cho 
That's right — but a new kind of doctor. This is 
a Health doctor, not a Disease doctor. Present 
treatment for Health — absent treatment for ab- 
sence of Health. {Ha — ha — hee — heel) I'll leave 
the doctor here. {Goes out.) 
Everychild 
Well, well, where is the patient ? {Putting hat 
on chair.) 

Jim 

I must be crazy, but I never seen a doctor like 
you. You ain't no doctor. 

Everychild 
Oh, yes I am. I'm a children's specialist. Is she 
in that room ? {Goes to door and opens it — draws 
back a little.) Whew ! No air. Lift up that cur- 
tain and open the window! (Jim does it^ rather 
aghast^ You must show me where you keep your 
pigs. Don't they get light and air on a day like 
this ? {Goes toward bed as Rosie rises up in bed and 
stares with a smile at the little doctor^ So this is the 
little patient. Well ! Well ! {Lifts up and looks 
at the bottles^ Take these and throw them out. 
[92] 



EVERYCHILD 

{Hands them to Mary, who takes them out and 
returns^ My ! My ! Pork and potatoes and 
candy! Of all things! I'll have to make out a 
diet list later. {Feels pulse — listens to her chest.) 
I think the trouble with you is bad food, bad air, 
and no light. The trouble is not enough agri- 
cultural pamphlets on human live stock, not 
enough government millions spent on the real 
thing. Now get up. Rose ! Let me see you stand. 
There, that's good. Now a comb and brush — 
we'll help this hair a little. 

Mary {handing Everychild a comb and brush) 

My hands are so full of work 

Everychild {arranging Rosie's hair) 

Yes, that's better. Now, father, a glass of 
milk ! (Jim goes into kitchen.) And mother, open 
that bag, please. 

{While Mary opens bag^ Jim returns with glass 
of milk^ which Rosie drinks^ 

Mary 
Oh, my ! 

{Takes out pretty dress y stockings and slippers, 
which she lifts up, looks at delightedly , and 
carries to the doctor^ 
Rosie 
Oh, mother ! You did get them ! 
[93] 



EVERYCHILD 

(EvERYCHiLD works fasty slips the gown on 
the patient with the stockings and slippers^ 
while RosiE smiles happily^ though dazed 
by the splendor of it.) 
Rosie 
Are you going to take me to the picnic ? 

Everychild 
Indeed I am ! A picnic that will never be over ! 

Rosie 
Are we going to ride ? Have we got our car 
back ? 

Everychild 
Better than that. 

Rosie 
What is it ? 

Everychild 
You*ll see. Maybe you'll dance out of the 

window. 

Mary 
Are you going to take her away ? 

Everychild 
Yes, I shall keep her with me until she is well. 
Then she will return to you. 

{Takes out of the bag the rosy lamp and waves it. 
Throws aside her cap and pulls ojf goggles, 
wigy and beard. The back wall moves away, 
[94] 



EVERYCHILD 

revealing the first scene with the same strains 

of music and the dancing children in the 

orchard. Everychild leads Rosie out to 

join them. Billie and Tom move after them 

calling : " Let us go with you I Take us with 

you I ") 

Rosie 

Oh, please take Billie and Tom ! 

Everychild 
Yes, I want them, too. Come along, boys ! 
{They shout and run after Rosie and Every- 
child.) 

Mary 
Oh, Jim, is this a dream ? Or am I awake at 
last? 

Jim {-putting his hand to his head, dazedly) 
Perhaps this is what it ought to be for all the 
children of the world. 

(curtain falls) 

Scene IV: Interior of a coal-mine^ lit only by 
lamps on the heads of three men and two boys, 
about twelve and fourteen years, the men busy 
at work getting the coal down with picks, the 
boys shovelling coal into a car. They work a 
few minutes. Distant muffled sound of a steam- 
[95} 



EVERYCHILD 

whistle. They immediately drop tools and go 
to corner and pick up each a can, paper bag^ or 
small basket^ and sit down to eat. 

One Man 
Lunch-time. It feels good to rest half an hour 
in this bloomin' hole. {Takes a drink from a bottle 
he brings from his pocket and hands to another^ 
Have a swig, Jack ? 

Jack 
Don't care if I do. {Takes a swallow.) I'll 
bring some next time, Joe. 

Joe {passing bottle to the other) 
Here, Bert, it helps. Take some and give a 
swallow to the boys. 

Bert 
I'll take some and thank you, but I guess the 
boys are better off without it. 
Jack 
How long you worked here, Bert ^ 

Bert 
Nigh on fifteen years, and a devil's job it is. I 
wanted to be a sailor, but I got into this, and it 
paid pretty good, and then I got tangled up with 
a family and just stayed on the job. But it's no 
place to spend a Hfe. {Coughs.) 
[96] 



EVERYCHILD 

Joe 
I been here 'bout as long as you, Bert. I ran 
away from the big woods where my father was a 
lumberman. Thought I'd see the world, and just 
got stuck here and never could make up my mind 
to get away. See the world, eh ! All I ever seed 
was de inside of it. If I had my way to do over 
again, I think I'd take to the tall timber up dere 
on top. 

{Meantime the two boys^ while eating with one 
hand out of their cans, have been whispering 
and playing knuckle-bones with pieces of coal, 
a little way from and behind the men. Sud- 
denly they stop, look around at each other and 
listen, for they hear the fairy dance music of 
the first scene, which is not heard by these 
older men, who go on talking^ 

First Boy 
Dey's havin' parade up dere. 

Second Boy 
Dat ain't band music, you mutt. 

(First Boy begins to sway as if in time with 
the music.) 

Second Boy 
Wot's the matter ? 

[97] 



EVERYCHILD 

First Boy {sheepish) 
Nuthin'. {Tries to keep still. They both listen.) 
Did yer ever dance, Buck ? 

Second Boy 
Naw. {Listens.) But I bet I could ! 

First Boy 
I had a dream onct. I dremp I's in an orchard, 
an* they's blooms floatin' round. I could smell 

'em ! 

Second Boy 
You's nutty. You can't smell in a dream. 
{They listen, and finally yield to the music, 
swaying their bodies, moving their arms, and 
beginning to dance as the music goes on.) 
Jack 
I've been here fourteen years, since I was a 
boy. It ain't a place for a man. It's too black. 
You get black outside and inside. Why, they say 
your lungs get black from breathing this dust. 
And your soul gets black. The place for an honest 
man to work is out in the white light, on your 
ocean or in your woods, or on the roads and rail- 
ways, and in the big buildings. This kind of 
work is work with punishment added to it. A 
little of it would be all right for men who go wrong, 
or for some as needs discipline. Then some day 
[98] 



EVERYCHILD 

they'll get machines to do the rest. Ah — there's 
the whistle. Come on, boys, to work again ! 

{A whistle sounds and all start to work as before^ 

(curtain falls) 

Final Scene: Curtain rises on final scene. Same 
as firsty with music as before, and with the 
mother and father and children among the apple- 
trees. Cho-Cho appears, right, and says: 
''''Here they come!'' Everychild enters, right, 
bringing with her a number of children, who 
follow her and then scatter under the trees. 

Everychild 
Oh, mother, I went everywhere, and we've 
brought all who could come! But there were 
some in holes in the ground that I couldn't reach, 
though we danced and danced, and called and 
called. They were too far down. And there were 
some ill and crippled, in hospitals, that couldn't 
walk, and some hidden away in great buildings 
called factories — and some in tenements, where 
there was no sun, and no green grass to walk on. 
Mother, what shall we do ? It was so hard to 
leave them. Won't you go back with me, and 
help me ? 

[99} 



EVERYCHILD 

Mother 
Yes, Everychild. We must all go. Not one 
must be left down there. 

Father 
Yes, we cannot go on up the Morning Moun- 
tains until they come. 

Mother 
We will start at once, all of us, down through 
the highways and valleys and cities of the world, 
and bring them here. Come, children, let us go. 
{They gather about her and start down, right, 
singing as they go. Cho-Cho lingers behind 
for a few moments and pronounces an epi- 
logue.) 



[100] 



EVERYCHILD 



EPILOGUE 

Not all here yet — 
But they must come 
To this sunshine — 
To these mountains — 
To these birds and trees— 
To the music — 
To the Land of Health, 
The Land of Happiness — 
They may be gay there — 

Sometimes — 

Sometimes — 
But that is a fool's Paradise- 
My old Kingdom — 
And I must lead them up 
To this new land 
Of hope and joy. 

(curtain falls) 



[101} 



TWO DOCTORS AT AKRAGAS 

BY 

Frederick Peterson 



CHARACTERS 

Akron 

Empedocles 

Pantheia 



TWO DOCTORS AT AKRAGAS* 

Akron 

She has been dead these thirty days. 

Empedocles 

How say you, thirty days ! and there is no 

feature of corruption ? 

Akron 

None. She has the marble signature of death 

writ in her whole fair frame. She lies upon her 

ivory bed, robed in the soft stuffs of Tyre, as if 

new-cut from Pentelikon by Phidias, or spread 

upon the wood by the magic brush of Zeuxis, 

seeming as much alive as this, no more, no less. 

There is no beat of heart nor slightest heave of 

breast. 

Empedocles 

And have you made the tests of death \ 
Akron 

There is no bleeding to the prick, nor film of 
breath upon the bronze mirror. They have had 
the best of the faculty in Akragas, Gela, and Syra- 
cuse, all save you; and I am sent by the dazed 
parents to beseech you to leave for a time the 

* Atlantic Monthly, 191 1. 

[105] 



TWO DOCTORS AT AKRAGAS 

affairs of state and the great problems of philos- 
ophy, to essay your ancient skill in this strange 
mystery of life in death and death in life. 
Empedocles 

I will go with you. Where lies the house ? 
Akron 

Down yonder street of statues, past the Agora, 
and hard by the new temple that is building to 
Olympian Zeus. It is the new house of yellow 
sandstone, three stories in height, with the carved 
balconies and wrought brazen doors. Pantheia 
is her name. I lead the way. 
Empedocles 

The streets are full to-day and dazzling with 
color. So many carpets hang from the windows, 
and so many banners are flying ! So many white- 
horsed chariots, and such concourses of dark slaves 
from every land in the long African crescent of the 
midland sea, from the pillars of Hercules to 
ferocious Carthage and beyond to the confines of 
Egypt and Phoenicia ! Ah, I remember now ! It 
is a gala day — the expected visit of Pindar. I 
am to dine with him to-morrow at the Trireme. 
We moderns are doing more to celebrate his 
coming than our fathers did for iEschylus when 
he was here. I was very young then, but I re- 
[106] 



TWO DOCTORS AT AKRAGAS 

member running with the other boys after him 
just to touch his soft gown and look into his noble 

Akron 
I have several rolls of his plays, that I keep 
with some new papyri of Pindar arrived by the 
last galley from Corinth, in the iron chest inside 
my ojffice door, along with some less worthy bags 
of gold of Tarshish and coinage of Athens, Sy- 
baris, Panormos, and Syracuse. Ah, here is the 
door ! It is ajar, and if you will go into the court- 
yard by the fountain and seat yourself under the 
palm-trees and azaleas on yon bench, by the 
statue of the nymph, I will go up to announce 

your coming. 

Empedocles 

All is still save for the far, faint step of Akron 
on the stair, and the still fainter murmur from the 
streets. The very goldfish in the fountain do not 
stir, and the long line of slaves against the mar- 
ble wall, save for their branded foreheads, might 
be gaunt caryatides hewn in Egyptian wood or 
carved in ebony and amber. That gaudy tropic 
bird scarce ruffles a feather. What is the differ- 
ence between Hfe and death ? A voice, a call, 
some sudden strange or famihar message on old 
paths, to the consciousness that lies under that 
[107] 



TWO DOCTORS AT AKRAGAS 

apparent unconsciousness, will waken all these 
semblances of inanimation into new life of arms 
and fins and wings. Let me try her thus ! My 
grandfather was a pupil of Pythagoras who had 
seen many such death-semblances among the peo- 
ples of the white sacred mountains of far India. 
Ha ! Akron beckons. I must follow him. 

Akron 

Enter yon doorway where the white figure lies 
resplendent with jewels that gleam in the morning 
sun. 

Empedocles 

The arm drawn downward by the heavy golden 
bracelet is cold, yet soft and yielding like a sleep. 
The face has the natural ease of slumber, and not 
the rigid artificiality of death. 'Tis true there is 
no pulse, no beat of heart nor stir of breath, yet 
neither is there the sombre grotesqueness of the 
last pose. But the difference between life and 
death is here so small that it is incommensurable, 
the point of the mathematicians only. I shall 
hold this little hand in mine, and, with a hand upon 
her forehead, call her by name; for, you know, 
Akron, one's name has a power beyond every 
other word to reach the closed ears of the im- 
prisoned soul. 

[108} 



TWO DOCTORS AT AKRAGAS 

Pantheia ! Pantheia ! Pantheia ! It is dawn. 
Your father calls you. Your mother calls you. 
And I call you and command you. Open your 
eyes and behold the sun ! 

Akron 

A miracle, oh, Zeus ! The eyelids tremble like 
flower-petals under the wind of heaven. Was that 
a sigh or the swish of wings .'' Oh, wonder of won- 
ders ! she breathes — she whispers ! 
Pantheia 

Where am I ? Is this death ? Some one called 
my name. That is the pictured ceiling of my 
own room. Surely that is Zaldu, my pet slave, 
with big drops on her black face. . . . And father, 
mother, kneeling either side. And who are you 
with rapt face and star-deep eyes, thick hair with 
Delphic wreaths, and in purple gown and golden 
girdle ? Are you a god .^ 

Empedocles 

Be tranquil, child, I am no god, only a physician 
come to heal you. You have been ill and sleep- 
ing a long time. 

Pantheia 

Yes, I feel weakness, hunger, and thirst. I re- 
member now that I was well, when suddenly a 
strange thought came to me on my pillow. I 
[109] 



TWO DOCTORS AT AKRAGAS 

thought that I was dead. This took such posses- 
sion of me that it shut out every other thought, 
and being able to think only that one thought, 
I must have been dead. It seemed but a moment's 
time when the spell of the thought was broken by 
an alien deep voice from the void of nothing about 
me, calling me by name, calling me to wake and 
see the day. With that came floods of my own 
old thoughts, like molten streams from i^tna, 
that were rigid as granite before the word was 
given that loosed them. 

Empedocles 

Did you not see new things or new lands or 
old dead faces, for you have been gone a month .? 
I am curious to know. 

Pantheia 

How passing strange ! No, I saw neither dark- 
ness nor light. I heard no sounds, nor was con- 
scious of any silence. I must have had just the 
one thought that I was dead, but I lost conscious- 
ness of that thought. I remember saying good 
night to Zaldu, and I handed her the quaint doll 
from Egypt and bade her care for it. Then the 
thought seized me, and I knew no more. My 
thoughts which had always run so freely before, 
like a plashing brook, must have suddenly frozen, 
[110] 



TWO DOCTORS AT AKRAGAS 

as the amber-trader from the Baltic told me one 
day the rivers do in his far northern home. Oh, 
sir, are you going so soon ? 

Empedocles 
Yes, child. You must take nourishment now, 
and talk no more. But I am coming again to see 
you, for I have many earnest questions still to 
put regarding this singular adventure. 

Akron 
Let me walk with you. I will close the great 
door. Already the gay streets are silent, and the 
people crowd this way, whispering awe-struck to- 
gether of the deed of wonder you have done this 
day. You have called back the dead to life, and 
they make obeisance to you as you pass, as if you 
were in truth a son of the immortals. Your name 
will go down the ages linked with the miracle of 
Pantheia. You are immortal. 

Empedocles 

Nay, 'tis not so strange as that, and yet 'tis 

stranger. ., 

° Akron 

I would know your meaning better. 

Empedocles 
The power of a thought, that is the real won- 
£111} 



TWO DOCTORS AT AKRAGAS 

der ! We just begin to have glimpses of the effects 
of the mind upon the body. To me, Akron, the 
faculty has set too great store upon herbs and 
bitter drafts, and cupping with the knife. I 
would fain have the soul acknowledged more, our 
therapy built on the dual mechanism of mind and 
substance. For if an idea can lead to the appar- 
ent death of the whole body, so might other ideas 
bring about the apparent death of a part of the 
body, like, for example, a paralysis of the mem- 
bers, or of the senses of sight, feeling, hearing; 
and in truth I have seen such things. Or a thought 
might give rise to a pain, or to a feeling of gen- 
eral illness, or to a feeling of local disorder in some 
internal organ; and I feel sure I have likewise met 
with such instances. And if an idea may pro- 
duce such ailments, then a contrary idea im- 
planted by the physician may heal them. I be- 
lieve this to be the secret of many of the marvels 
we see at the temples and shrines of ^sculapius 
and of the cures made by the touch of seers and 
kings. 

But this teaching goes much deeper and further. 

If we could in the schools implant in our youth 

ideas which were strong enough, we should be able 

to make of them all, each in proportion to his be- 

[112] 



TWO DOCTORS AT AKRAGAS 

lief in himself and his ambition, great men, great 
generals, thinkers, poets, a new race of heroes in 
all lines of human endeavor, who should be able 
by their united strength of idea and ideal finally 
to people the world with gods. 

I have among my slaves, who work as vintners 
and olive-gatherers, a physician of Thrace, as also 
a philosopher of the island of Rhodes, a member 
of the Pythagorean League. These I bought not 
long ago from the Etruscan pirates. Every eve- 
ning I have them come to me on the roof after the 
evening meal, and there under the quiet of the 
stars we discuss life and death, the soul and im- 
mortality, and all the burning problems of order, 
harmony, and number in the universe. What 
surprises me is that this Thracian should be so 
in advance of the physicians of Hellas, for he 
holds as I do that the mind should be first con- 
sidered in the treatment of most disorders of the 
body, because of its tremendous power to force 
the healing processes, and because sometimes it 
actually induces disease and death. And we have 
talked together of the incalculable value of faith 
and enthusiasm so applied in the education of the 
child, this new kind of gardening in the budding 
soul of mankind, and of what new and august 
[113} 



TWO DOCTORS AT AKRAGAS 

races might thereby come to repeople this rather 
unsatisfactory globe. 

I am minded to free these slaves, indeed all my 
slaves, and I have the intention of devoting the 
most of a considerable fortune, both inherited and 
amassed by me, to the spread of these doctrines 
and to the pubhc weal, particularly in the matter 
of planting in the souls of our youth, not the mere 
ability to read and write Greek and do sums in 
arithmetic, but the seeds of noble ideas that shall 
make this Trinacria of ours a still more wonder- 
ful human garden than it has been as a granary 
for the world's practical needs. From this sea- 
centre we send our freighted galleys to Gades in 
the West, Carthage in the South, Tyre in the East, 
and to the red-bearded foresters of the Far North. 
I would still send on these same routes this food, 
but also better food than this, stuff that should 
kindle and feed intellectual fires in all the remote 
places of the earth. 



[114} 






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